30

Jump Start # 1735

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1735

Galatians 6:9 “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

  A Jump Start reader asked if I would write about this verse. She couldn’t find any earlier Jump Starts on this passage. Before I comment, a couple of thoughts.

 

For those that do not know, there is a Jump Start website (www.Jumpstartsdaily.com) that allows you to search previous Jump Starts by date, number or passage. This is helpful if you are wanting some thoughts for a class, bulletin or to use for an invitation. There is a search engine that allows a person to type in certain words and it will take you to the Jump Starts using that word.

 

Second, I am amazed that anyone would want to know what I think about a passage. This whole Jump Start journey continues to be beyond my comprehension. Our list of readers continues to grow and more and more are finding ways to use these articles to reach and help others. It is simply amazing to me.

 

Now, our verse. There seems to be four components to this passage.

 

First, there is the togetherness. It is expressed by the words, “Let us.” I like that. Sometimes we preachers like to tell the audience what to do, but we do not include ourselves. Paul did not say, “You need to…” He said, “Let us.” This thought is used three times in Hebrews 10. There we find, “Let us draw near…” (22); “Let us hold fast…” (23); and “let us consider how…” (24). Let us. We are in this together. The work is too much for any one of us. We need each other. Every organization, every team, and every church needs the spirit of “let us” to be successful. The quarterback can’t make it without linemen, receivers, coaches, equipment men, administration personnel,  and even the guy who sells the tickets. Different roles, but all connected. So it is in the church. Some preach. Some shepherd. Some invite. Some serve. Some support. Everyone has a role. We need to lose the “me” verse “them” way of thinking. It’s us. It’s “let us.”

 

Second, don’t lose heart in doing good. The “losing heart,” means to become discouraged. We’d say it this way, “I don’t feel like it,” or, “my heart is not in it anymore.” That person has “lost heart.” In Luke, Jesus told the disciples to pray at all times and not to lose heart. John 14 begins with the thought, “Let not your heart be troubled.” Why would one become discouraged in doing good? That’s hard for some to see. Others, know this. They have experienced it. The losing heart seems to be connected with the final expression in this verse, “grow weary.” That’s the cause of losing heart. They became tired. Tired of always being the one who takes meals. Tired of being the one who is always teaching class. Tired of being the one who is always the encourager. Tired of carrying the load. Tired of shepherding. Tired of being the “faithful few.” Why don’t others do it for a change? Why don’t the young folks step up? If I don’t do it, it will not get done. Boy, I know that song. I’ve sung it too many times, myself. From this weariness comes discouragement then comes the Elijah syndrome. Remember ole’ Elijah, hiding in the cave to escape Jezebel’s assassins? He was ready for God to take him. He was the only one, he thought. No one else was doing anything. He must have been singing, “Gloom, despair and agony on me,” in that dark cave. Pitiful me. Woe is me. God had to remind Elijah that there were thousands who had not bowed their knees to Baal. He didn’t know about them. He wasn’t the only one. He was not stranded on the island of misfits, as he so believed.

 

Losing heart will cause one to quit. He will walk away and never come back. It’s good to take a break. It’s good to get away. It’s good to catch your breath, refocus, recharge your batteries, but get back in there. You are needed. You are doing good. You are making a difference. Your efforts matter. Your example is helpful and encouraging. If you stop, you’ll be just like the ones you complain about. No, there won’t be a banner with your name on it stretched across the auditorium on Sunday. No, there won’t be a banquet in your honor. No, you probably won’t even be mentioned in the bulletin or get a shout out from the pulpit. That would take away from the good that you are doing. You do what you do because it’s the right thing and it’s necessary.

 

Third, in due time we shall reap. Payday is coming. Payday comes after you have first worked. The reaping is what the five talent man witnessed when his master praised him for doing good. Reaping may come in several forms. We first think of Heaven. The crown of righteousness that awaits us. That’s the truest sense of reaping. But there are other forms of reaping. It’s seeing children learning and doing well because you have taught them. It’s family members who are changing because you have influenced them. It’s seeing people in the audience who came because you invited them. It’s seeing a young man preach because you spent time with him and encouraged him. It’s seeing marriages saved and thriving again. It’s seeing people conquer their addictions. It’s seeing the church reaching others and becoming stronger because you poured hours into leading them. Sure the benefits are Heaven, but there are many, many other benefits right now. Most of us are where we are today because of someone else. A parent, a friend, a preacher, an elder, poured hours into us. They wouldn’t quit. They never gave up on us. And today, we stand tall because of their work. We are the harvest of the work of others.

 

There is a “due time” that comes before the reaping. Farmers understand this. They plant in the spring and harvest in the fall. They have to wait. There is no short cuts that allows them to plant and harvest in the same week. Due time means simple that. It takes time. Patience. Waiting. Still doing good. In time it will show. It will show in grown children. It will show in mature Christians. It will show in stronger faith.

 

Finally, all of this is based upon not growing weary. IF we do not grow weary. IF. A big IF. Satan is counting on you not making it. Satan is hoping that you will get weary. He wants you to become discouraged. He wants good to stop. Keep going, is what Paul is saying. Hebrews reminds us that we have not endured to the point of shedding blood. Yes, you are tired. Keep going. Yes, there is so much to be done. Keep going.

 

The next verse connects to all of this. “While we have opportunity, let us do good to all…” While the door is  open. Get up. I know you are tired. Get off the couch. Another study. Another phone call. Another meal to make. Another class to teach. Another chance to do good.

 

Some day the opportunity will be gone. The person will move on, things change and the window of making a difference closes. Someday we will not be in the position to do much good. Health and age will take it’s toll upon us. I have been preaching about 40 years, 36 of those have been full time. For the first time in my life, I have been thinking about when will it be time for me to call it quits. “While we have opportunity,” won’t always be there. The end is closer than it has ever been for me. This is why we must do good.

 

God has made us in such a way that all of us can do good. Not everyone can preach, nor do we need everyone to preach. Not everyone can say the right words of encouragement. Not everyone is gifted at inviting folks to services. Not everyone can teach. Not everyone can cook a meal and take it to someone. But we all can do something. Even the one talent man had one talent. That may be all you have. That’s fine. Don’t compare yourself with others. Don’t complain about what you can’t do. Just get busy and “let us not lose heart in doing good…”

 

Off the sidelines and into the game of life, that ‘s what God wants. It’s easy to point out the problems. Help be a part of the solution. Don’t wait for others. They are probably waiting on you. Jump in. Get involved. Do what you can.

 

That’s the thoughts. Now, let’s do it.

 

Roger

 

29

Jump Start # 1734

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1734

1 Corinthians 11:17 “But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.”

  Our verse today begins a series of valuable instructions about the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper brings us all together. It makes us all knee before the cross and realize that each of us need the saving blood of Jesus Christ. God wanted His people to remember the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. It was the theme of those early sermons. It has the message that changed the world. And it was a memorial that was to bring us together, both literally, and symbolically, each first day of the week.

 

But somehow, the Corinthian ugliness and divisive spirit even trickled into the Lord’s Supper. They messed that up. Some were eating it like pigs and others were not getting any. The memorial had become yet another occasion to splinter hearts that were not united. In most places today, folks would leave. It would be enough to cause a church split. Fingers would be pointed at each other, stuff would be said that probably shouldn’t be, tempers would flare, and that would be it. Some would leave. That didn’t seem to happen in Corinth. When Paul writes 2 Corinthians, he writes one letter, not two. It appears that wisdom prevailed and apostolic instructions were followed. I wish we could do that today!

 

There are some lessons we see here:

 

First, it is possible for a worship service to be counter productive. Instead of praising God and encouraging one another, God can be shamed and the worship ruined by bad attitudes and hateful hearts.

 

Second, something that is good and right, such as the Lord’s Supper, can be misused and abused if not given the proper attention with the right motives. The same can be said of singing, or, even preaching. Those things are good and right, but they sure can be distorted.

 

Third, when we come together, it’s not only for God and ourselves, but it is also for others. If it wasn’t, then why even come together. Why not just stay at home if my only concern is God and self. I must be thoughtful of the “others.” It’s not just me. My attitude, my cooperation, my heart will either be open to others or it will be the cause of hurt feelings and trouble. So, I must think of others, not just myself.

 

This thought will hasten me not to be disruptive by being late all the time. There are times you can’t help being late. Emergencies at home, traffic on the road, someone can’t find something, there are days like that. But for some families, it seems to be every day. All the time. Always late. The getting in, getting settled, causes commotion and disrupts the class or the worship around you. Be mindful of others. Get to bed earlier. Get up earlier. Find what you need before you get to bed. Make sure the car is gassed up. You’re heading to worship, so get there.

 

Fourth, it is possible that we leave worship worse than when we came. I’ve experienced this. Tense feelings spill over and our minds lose focus of God and we start thinking about the problems, the people involved and worship becomes more of a battle ground than a safe haven for our souls. Thankfully, I’ve never been in a real military battle before. I don’t think I would do well. I’ve known dozens and dozens who have. To stay alive in a battle, you must be alert, sharp and always watching. It’s not a peaceful moment. It’s not relaxing. Everyone is on edge. It’s not like the video games, not real war. Worship should not be like this. We get beat up everyday in the world. We need each other for comfort, encouragement and help. Yet, if things are not right, worship can be just another battle that we must engage in and endure. The trauma of an unhealthy worship can leave us battered, bruised and worse off than when we came. This is the very reason why some stop coming and others begin looking for another congregation. Why “go to church,” when it takes all week to get over the experience.

 

Fifth, as ugly and as bad as these problems can be, they can be fixed, if the right hearts and the wisdom of God prevails. We can do better, is the spirit that will bring about change. It doesn’t have to be this way. Change is hard. Change involves someone taking charge and leading souls back to God. It involves reminding what we are supposed to do. Herein, lies yet another problem. It’s easier to point fingers and leave than to stay and make things better. “Why should I,” is too often the response, when the exit above the door seems to be the best option. Why? Because your leaving doesn’t help. Your leaving only discourages others. Your leaving indicates that  you have given up. Stay in there and lead the charge with a Bible in your hand. Read and repeat what God wants. Remind others who we are. Be the first to forgive. Put aside your personal feelings and see the big picture.

 

It is interesting how folks in the world can sometimes do things better than those in the church. The election is over. Trump will be the new president. He is interviewing people to fill various positions in his administration. Many of those he is talking to were harsh critics of him. They said some mean things about him. Some didn’t even vote for him. Yet, he sees beyond that to the qualities that they have that would help his administration. The media won’t stand for this. They are making a big deal and reminding us of the ugly things that were said during the campaign. There is a lesson for us. Can we move on together after things have been said? Can we see the bigger picture and the good that each person brings or are we destined to always remember the ugly things that were said? Can we forgive? Can we move on together?

 

Maybe this is why Jesus told the disciples to become like children. Kids fuss at each other. They want the toy that the other one has. They cry. They get mad. Yet, an hour later, they are sitting together, laughing and playing. Adults can’t do that. We remember. We can’t move past what was said and done. To be like a child would help us.

 

Our coming together ought to be for the better. That’s the principle and that’s the goal. We ought to leave refreshed, encouraged and challenged. We ought to be better after worship than before. There is a goodness to be found in worship. We need that. That pulls us together. That helps us become a better people. It’s more than smiles and hugs, although those help, it’s the deeper connections. It’s the bond we have in Christ. It’s the goal we have as a church. It’s being that one mind, one heart, and one voice. It’s the spirit that says we are all in this together. It’s the heart that loves those people and loves God. It’s an understanding that this is my family, my church family. Love them. Pray for them. Support them. Defend them. Encourage them. Work with them. And never give up on them.

 

Do you think about your church family much during the week? Do you ever just pause and pray for some of them? How about the leaders? How about your preacher? How about those busy deacons? How about the teens? How about the young mothers? How about the senior saints? A lot of folks. A lot of history. A lot of love.

 

Across the landscape today, we are witnessing two things happening among God’s people. In some places, things are the best that they have ever been. Attendance, spirit, vision and opportunities are as great as they have ever been. Some places are adding on. Some places are appointing more elders. Good things are happening. But sadly, we are also witnessing in many places the death of some congregations. Things are stale and dying. Folks are leaving. Some congregations seem to be drifting without any direction. Leaders are resigning. Preachers are leaving. Some places are considering closing the doors for good.

 

Why is it that some are doing so well and others are doing so poorly? Many factors, from leadership, vision, spirit, to even what we’ve talked about today, worship. Satan wants all of us to become discouraged and for all congregations to close their doors. We must not allow that to happen.

 

Roger

 

28

Jump Start # 1733

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1733

John 9:31 “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.”

  A friend asked me to share some thoughts in Jump Start about this passage. This passage is layered with thoughts and is a great way to show the value of looking at the context. Here’s the background. Jesus and His disciples passed a man who was blind from birth. The disciples, with the common Jewish thinking of the day, assumed the man had been punished for some sin. They asked Jesus, who sinned? Was it the man or was it his parents? Interestingly, they never thought to ask Jesus if He could or would make the man better. Just a curious thought that involved no action on their part. Jesus, in a remarkable miracle, spit in the dirt, made mud, rubbed it on the man’s eyes and told him to go wash in the pool Siloam. Jesus didn’t have to do that. He could have cured the man by just saying the words. The man returned seeing. The miracle covers about three verses. The entirety of the rest of the chapter is an intense interrogation by the Jews concerning this miracle. The Jews continually refer to Jesus as a “sinner.” They question the blind man. Then they question his parents. Then they again question the man. The man is getting irritated with the Jewish questions. He asks the Jews if they want to become a disciple of Jesus? That sets them over the edge. In response, where our verse is found, the blind man states, “You do not know where He is from…and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners…” His conclusion was that Jesus could not be a sinner, otherwise God would not have heard him.

 

That’s the story. Now comes the question that we struggle with from this verse: Does God hear sinners? We must think this out before we shoot out a quick answer. I’ve heard folks quote this proudly in a Bible class without thinking this out.

 

First, if God doesn’t hear sinners, how does he hear anyone? Romans tells us that all have sinned. John tells us in this first letter, that if we say that we have no sin, present tense, the truth is not in us. That’s a problem. Does God hear any of us?

 

Second, although this is in the Bible, this statement isn’t from God. Jesus didn’t say this. Neither did one of the apostles. This comes from the blind man in a heated exchange with the Jewish establishment. He doesn’t quote any specific passage. This is how he sees things. This tells us that the Bible contains conversations of uninspired men. The words of Pharaoh, Herod, Nebuchadnezzar, Pilate, soldiers, servants and others are found in the Bible. These words are part of the conversation and the story. This man’s perspective may not be correct.

 

Third, we know that God has heard the prayers of sinners. In Acts 9, when Saul of Tarsus, saw Jesus in a vision and became blind, God sent Ananias to him. God told Ananias  that Saul “is praying.” How did God know that if He doesn’t hear the prayer of sinners? The next chapter, Acts 10, we find Cornelius, a God-fearing man, but not a Christian. An angel appeared to Cornelius and reported, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” God heard the prayer of a man that wasn’t saved. In Jesus’ great sermon, He said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  The person who has does not ask, seek or knock. It’s the person who doesn’t have that will do these things. To say categorically, God does not hear the prayers of sinners, is not Biblically correct.

 

Fourth, Psalms 66 states, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, God will not hear.”  This is probably where the blind man in John 9 came up with his idea that “God does not hear sinners.” The intention of the heart is what is important here. Cornelius was not saved, but he was God-fearing. Saul was not saved, but he was questioning and seeking. That is so different than a man who never worships, never follows the Lord, never cares about the spiritual side of things and then one day troubles come and then, and only then, he prays so that the trouble will end. Once the troubles are over, he’s back to his selfish, one dimensional, materialistic pursuits in life. He needed prayer to get him out of trouble. Once the trouble ended, he was finished with prayer and with God. His only motive for praying was selfish. He has no intention of pursuing the will of God.  He has no faith. He has no understanding of God’s word. He couldn’t name the four gospels if his life depended upon it. As soon as trouble leaves, he quickly is done with the spiritual stuff until the next time trouble comes. The fact that he prayed never changed him, moved him nor affected him. He’s not even sure who He is talking to when he offered his emergency prayer in the moment of crisis. He’s not even concerned about knowing who he is talking to. For such a person, his prayer is not heard. He is not interested in God. He is not interested in doing what God says. He simply wants a nice, smooth life with little trouble. That’s the only reason he prays. The only time he ever hears the Bible read is at a wedding or a funeral.

 

We pray not to just get us out of trouble. Sometimes trouble teaches us things that we need to learn. We pray to thank God. We pray to praise God. We pray to talk to God. We pray because we know, like and love God. We pray because we want to be with God. We pray because God is our Father.

 

Our verse today, shows us that statements found in the Bible must be understood. Who is speaking? What is the background? What’s going on? Those thoughts help us to get an understanding on the meaning of a verse. The statement, God doesn’t hear sinners, was used by the blind man to justify Jesus. How could Jesus be a sinner, like the Jews were saying, if God had heard and answered His prayer. The proof was in the eyes of the man who once was blind. He now had sight.

 

In a hard to understand statement, the Bible is from God, but not every word is a quotation of God. This does not mean that man has added his own words into the Bible. The Bible is a product of inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but even the devil is quoted in the Bible. God included man’s words to build the historical story behind the Bible events. Study helps us to understand this concept. This also helps us to see that just flinging out a statement of the Bible can be dangerous. If misused, if taken out of context, the conclusion may not be God’s conclusion. We could build a whole system of faith around, “God doesn’t hear the prayer of sinners.” From that, we could easily build the bridge to, “God doesn’t hear the praise of sinners.” Just a step or two more, and we get to “God doesn’t even like sinners.” None of that is true. That’s the danger of taking a statement out of it’s background and context.

 

I hope this has been helpful. It makes us think about that statement, “handling accurately” the word of truth. That’s our responsibility. Don’t cut corners. Don’t be sloppy in your study. Don’t assume. Be diligent. Do your homework. Dig deep. Look carefully. Lower the nets. Think things out. See the big picture.

 

I’d expect most of us were praying to God before we obeyed Him and were saved. I’d also expect that most of us didn’t think that was a bad thing to do. The more folks prayed to God, the better our world would be.

 

Roger

 

23

Jump Start # 1732

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1732

Psalms 9:1 “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.”

PLEASE NOTE: Jump Starts is taking a couple of days off for the holidays. We plan to return to you again on Monday.

  I have found that thankful people tend to be kind, helpful, generous and insightful. They tend to be deep people who have learned to pause in life, take their foot off the accelerator of life and to see the goodness of others and God. Thankful people on the whole are not selfish. Thankful people make good parents and amazing leaders. They are quick to offer praise and include others in their victories and successes. They are humble and value others. David from the O.T. is like this. Paul in the N.T. is also, like this. Jesus, excelled in this. True thankfulness is not something that is switched on in November and then we forgot about it the rest of the year. The thankful person doesn’t need a Thursday set aside to be thankful. He already is. Thankfulness is a character trait, part of his spiritual DNA.

 

It’s rather sad to see how society puts Thankful Thursday next to Black Friday. On Thursday everyone is thankful for what they have. Come the wee hours of Black Friday and it’s get out of my way so I can get what I want. It just seems that the spirit of the Thankful Thursday didn’t last very long.

 

The list of what we ought to be thankful for should be very long. There is so many things. Personal things. Spiritual things. People. Blessings. I want to share my top three Thank You’s:

 

First, God. Our verse today is a great one. I will give thanks to God with all my heart. This sounds similar to the greatest commandment, to love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul. God—for who He is. For being so holy, kind and loving. He is unlike the fake gods of the Romans and Greeks that looked and acted like humans. They were mean, selfish and abusive. Our God is not like that. Our God is not like the Muslim god who appears to be angry and carnal. Our God is amazing. The more we learn about Him, the more we want to be like Him. We long to be with Him. He loves us, even when we are unlovable. He never gives up on us. He continues to bless us, even when we’ve turned our back to Him. He is the one constant in this mixed up world. He is our rock. He is our redeemer. Where would we be without God? The fast moving life style of many would love to remove God from the planet. They already have from their hearts. But they are not happy. They are not thankful. They are not content. They see no value in pain and no place after death. It’s all here and all now. Without God’s help and guidance, most of us would be in a real mess now. Grace, forgiveness, thankfulness, service, love have filled our hearts and shaped us to be God’s people.

 

A child’s prayer ended with, “And, God please take care of yourself. If something happens to you, we’re all sunk.” How true!

 

Second, for life. What a blessing life is. Life is full of opportunity, adventure and choices. Little babies remind us of the blessings of life. I have a bunch of little grandchildren now and they are so precious. Their eyes are full of excitement, wonder and joy. I love looking into the eyes of these little people and wonder what they are thinking about. They are so trusting and kind. Everyone ought to spend an afternoon with little ones. Taking a nap and having some cookies might do us all a lot of good.

 

Life can change. It changes sometimes when we don’t want it to. The end of a career, a life, a marriage—forces us to make hard adjustments. Things just aren’t the same any more. But then there are those changes that we enacted. We chose the change. We change our thinking. We change our attitudes. We change our way of looking at things. We change our behavior. Wrong people can become right. Ungodly people can become godly. Mean people can become nice. Selfish people can become generous. Faithless people can develop faith. Hopeless people can find hope. That’s the beauty of life. We are not poured in concrete. We are not stagnate, stuck nor predetermined to be a certain way. The homosexual and drunk Corinthians changed. They heard, believed and obeyed Christ. Life became better for them. That’s the blessings of life. You don’t know something, you can learn. You don’t know how, someone can teach and show you. The opportunities are endless.

 

Life is a gift.

 

  Third, for wonderful family and friends. Life is meant to be shared. I’ve gone a few times to watch a movie by myself. Usually, it’s a movie with a lot of bullets, bombs and car crashes. Not my wife’s cup of tea. Watching a movie by yourself isn’t as good as with a friend. After the movie, by yourself, there is no one to talk about what you just experienced. I watch some British cooking shows with my wife. I don’t understand half of what they are talking about, but it’s the company that makes it all worth the while. She likes it and I like being with her, so I watch it with her. Friends do things like that. We share. We do what the other likes to do.

 

Dear friends are something that takes time to develop. But once you have them, there is nothing like it. Our list of dear friends is long. Good people. Godly people. Friends that have been in our lives for decades. New friends. They have been there for us and we have been there for them. That’s what friends do. What a blessing, friends are. One of the highlights of walking into the church building, is seeing the faces of friends.

 

And then, family. We sometimes bump each other in our families. I mentioned Monday, in a funeral I conducted, that we don’t get to choose our parents or our brothers and sisters. Sometimes we are stuck with some bad ones. That’s hard. Sometimes we are given really good ones. What a blessing that is. The expression, “home for the holidays,” is often tense for some. Guilt and demands make the gathering very uncomfortable. Some need to apologize for harm they have done, but they won’t. Some need to see beyond themselves, but they can’t. You can set the tone and the atmosphere around your table this year. Turn the gossip off. Speak well and kindly of others. Take the lead and speak well of each other. Hug your parents, they won’t always be around. Lead your siblings into deeper discussions about the Lord. Get on the floor and play with the little ones. Family, you just got to love them! Don’t pick at everything nor everyone.

 

Thankful. Thankful for God, life and family and friends.

 

I hope each of you have an enjoyable holiday. I hope you make many memories. Remember those who are going through their first holiday without a loved one. It’s hard on them. Take a moment and count your blessings. Thank the Lord.

 

Roger

 

22

Jump Start # 1731

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1731

Psalms 118:24 “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

  We are looking this week at the theme of Thanksgiving. The opening verse of Psalms 118 states, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” What follows are multiple reasons to be thankful. We find:

 

  • God’s lovingkindness is everlasting (1)
  • God answered in our distress (5)
  • God is for me (6)
  • God helped me (13)
  • God is my salvation (14)
  • God has made this day (24)

 

The chapter ends with, “You are my God, and I give thanks to You…Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.”

 

Our verse reminds us, “This is the day which the Lord has made.” This day. Today. Every day is a gift from Heaven. This day, as busy as it may be, and as crazy as it may turn out, is what God has given us. Each of us have just this day. We plan for the next day. We plan for weeks ahead. We plan for next year. Vacations are being thought about. Churches are forming themes and filling dates with guest speakers. We think about anniversaries, graduations, weddings and birthdays coming next year. Some will have big events next year. Some will plan to retire next year. Some may be thinking about moving next year. But all we really have is “this day.” We can be so forward thinking that we forget about this day. This day can be just another plain ole’ day. We may think, ’lets fast forward to Thursday—a holiday.’ No school. No work. Turkey. Family. Football. Fun. But today is not Thursday. This is the day which the Lord has made. Could it be that we live for the special days and just coast through the other days? Could it be that we see little to be thankful for on a Tuesday before a big holiday? Could it be that we do not see any reason to rejoice and be glad in this day, other than wanting this day to be over?

 

Rejoice that you are alive today. This is a blessing. This is a gift. You have been given a day. Find ways to be thankful, even on a Tuesday. Find ways to use this day to your benefit and God’s glory. Thank the Lord for today. Read something worthwhile. Engage in a meaningful conversation. Do something for someone. This is the day which the Lord has made. Don’t waste it. Don’t just assume that you will have another one.

 

Rejoice that you have mind and heart to remember the Lord. Many will fly through this day without a single thought about God. Some will use this day to discredit God. Some will disappoint and even shame God this day. Some will live as if God wasn’t even alive. They will ignore Him completely. But you are different. You know God and love God. Be thankful for that. Be thankful that you have been taught about God. Be thankful that you can acknowledge the Lord in all of your ways. Be thankful that you are walking with God today. Be thankful that God is near to you today.

 

Rejoice that God has given you the eyes to see what really matters today. Beyond the glitter of shopping, and stuff, lies what really matters. Faith. Family. Friends. Fellowship. Freedom. Character. Hope. Joy. Smiles and hugs. You may have a long list of things that must be done today, mine is that way. That long list can feel like a burden that stresses you. However, in all of that look for the things that truly matter. As you talk to people, share the name of the Lord. As you eat, be thankful. As you travel, pray for safety. As you gain insights, become better. We sing, “Open our eyes, Lord…” The rich man in Luke 16, never really saw Lazarus laid at his gates. I’m certain he saw him, and probably complained about him being there, but he never really saw him with love and compassion. The bent over woman in the synagogue on a Saturday was seen by all who were there. However, Jesus really saw her. He called her to come to Him and He healed her.  Open eyes to help others. Open our eyes to make a difference. Rejoice that God opens your eyes today.

 

Rejoice that God has given you yet another day to make corrections in your life. One of these days will be the last day. Some day, God will have had enough and He will send the Lord. On that day, everything changes. The world will end. The dead will be raised. Judgment will take place. Everyone will be cast into eternity. On that day, there won’t be time for sermons. On that day, it will be too late to make apologies and do what is right. That day, everything will change. But God has given you today. God is patient with you today. Maybe, today is the day that you pick up the phone and call someone and apologize. Maybe today is the day that you decide to leave toxic friends who are taking you away from Jesus. Maybe today is the day that you decide that you will jump in with both feet and truly get committed to the Lord. Maybe today is the day that you decide I will serve the Lord in whatever way that I can. Maybe today is the day that you finally flee from Satan. Maybe today is the day that you draw near to the Lord. God has given you another day.

 

I tend to think that the Psalmist didn’t know how his day was going to end, yet he tells us to rejoice and be glad. That’s a choice. I can walk around today with a sour look on my face or I can be glad. I can spread gladness by being cheerful, thankful and kind.

 

Who knows how this day will end, but if it begins with the Lord and we stay with the Lord, it doesn’t really matter.

 

Rejoice and be glad—this is the day which the Lord has made.

 

Roger